Welcome to my World

Welcome to the domain different--to paraphrase from New Mexico's capital city of Santa Fe which bills itself "The City Different." Perhaps this space is not completely unique but my world shapes what I write as well as many other facets of my life. The four Ds figure prominently but there are many other things as well. Here you will learn what makes me tick, what thrills and inspires me, experiences that impact my life and many other antidotes, vignettes and journal notes that set the paradigm for Dierdre O'Dare and her alter ego Gwynn Morgan and the fiction and poetry they write. I sell nothing here--just share with friends and others who may wander in. There will be pictures, poems, observations, rants on occasion and sometimes even jokes. Welcome to our world!

Saturday, January 18, 2025

Memoir Monday, Jan 27, 1966



 January 27, 1966 found me back on Campus, having returned the day before. It was a short time before the 2nd semester when classes resumed. Admin things had to be done in this brief period.

Jan 27, 1967

Today I spent money, shame on me, but it was fun. I got a transistor radio, four pairs of pants (slacks/jeans), some pens, tape,  a Bert Kaemphert record and some chow. I blew close to $25 but I got several things I'd needed/wanted  for quite awhile. The radio is really neat. It cost $14.00 but I think it is worth it. I washed and ironed, wished that Dusty would call and stayed up fairly late. The break 'vacation' both in Clarkdale and then Flag  flew by... 

So  back to the interim while I was down 'home' again. It really wasn't home anymore but then in most ways I did not have a real home for quite awhile, maybe excepting the hours in Dusty's arms. Saturday I had to be at Dr. Joe P's for a filing at 9:00. It was not too bad but I did and do have a phobia about dental work--there has been a lot of pain over the years. Back home, Charlie Mike and I rode, had a nice visit with Earl and saw the local in with  GP9s 151 and 735 bringing some box cars and a gondola with a cement mixer for work on Bridge 22.5. (This was not Bitter Creek so maybe the last one to the south?) As Charlie Mike said, " It doesn't seem like B&B6 over there, somehow," so it was really not hard to appear to have little interest in it.  He knew I was seeing Dusty and I think he may have visited him a time or two as well. But how my and even our world  had changed in way less than a year.. "Boy, I am tired now," I said. "Yesterday was a rather wild one and I've been busy all day here." 

I hoped to get some sewing done but had no great expectations. There was always  "stuff" to do. I was cutting\up a lavender skirt--maybe Goodwill buy--to try to make a pair of pants. The fabric was sheer so they would have to be lined. I think I did manage to do it, but they did not turn out as I  hoped and were soon trashed.Not all my designs or inventions went as I wished! It was funny, at least to me, that the folks seemed not to notice my new hair color nor those glasses  but Charlie Mike and Alex did say I looked different in the new glasses. They were kind of "eye-catching", I suppose, all sparkle and glitter. No other comments on them though. 

I did get some stitching done by the evening of the 25th and noted I got my period and was back on my normal 24-25 day schedule and not too miserable. I do not think I attended, but there was a hearing on some of the Boss's efforts and it supposedly went well under a new judge who was 'friendly' to our cause. (really--ever?  Just until s/he learned a bit more!)  Knowing I had to get up early to go back,  I whined about catching a cold as I  had almost expected I would, but I still wanted to slip out after bedtime to go pay a call to B&B6 but I didn't; it was too risky. I was sure I'd hear from Dusty before long, anyway. 

Then it was January 26, a Thursday. We were up and off at an early hour, leaving about 7:45. The highway was not bad and we were in flag by 9:00.  I piled my junk in the room, checked my mail and went to register with Fran. I got thru pretty easy and lined my classes up just as I wanted them. I got one of my two checks after lunch,which was  a can of Sego (a "Slimfast" of that time) and paid housing and tuition out of that with $46 left over.. Next I went to get my grades and was in for a surprise and thrill--four lovely Ones and a single Two!! A 1.2 average was beyond my wildest expectations. Walked to town with Mary and bought some stamps. Then I wrote the folks and sent then $20. Now I will not feel guilty about spending the rest! I  got credit on my meal ticket and after eating,  Mary and I went to watch try-outs for a play but came back  soon and went to bed.  I talked briefly with Evelyn, another dorm mate, and learned she had gotten a 1+ on a little book she made for a special project.  Not a class we shared that I recall. Then I was ready to sleep in the "upper berth" in our stacked bunk beds with my little donkey, who I'd named Chatito.

Pictures: This first shot was much later but shows a bit of the bunks Mary and I shared. Mine was the top.The next is just outside the door at the end of the hall our room was in which faced west. This was a couple of weeks later after there had been a substantial snowfall. And finally a view out our window in between the snows.  I think that dupes last week--oh well. In good weather the grassy area was nice and there was also grass in the center of the quad which was a sort of courtyard. It was sheltered  and private so favored by sunbathers in the warmer times.





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